“Instructions for living a life.
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.”
-Mary Oliver

I had, in fact, planned on reviving this blog around this month last year. Due to unforeseen circumstances (a light euphemism if there was one), that never happened.

Until one day, looking through my old notebook, I found what I had planned to write then, and it was too good not to share.

Here goes:
Anyone who says summer is relaxing hasn’t lived in the South. It’s in fact, very tiring– the humidity, the upkeep of incessantly growing vines, the brutal heat. So while I appreciate the virtues of Mexican corn and Szechuan eggplant and tomato stacks, sometimes, simplicity is best.

Here’s a recipe for such simplicity:

bunch of tomatoes, preferably homegrown

bunch of basil

Chapel Hill Creamery mozzarella (or any local mozzarella)

your favorite extra virgin olive oil (I use smoked olive oil)

salt (can use smoked salt if your oil isn’t smoked)

freshly ground pepper

Wash tomatoes. Wash basil. Assemble on plates/bowls.

Mix salt and pepper and olive oil in a small bowl.

Slice mozzarella.

Sit comfortably in a screened porch, dip mozarella in oil mixture, wrap a basil leaf around it, and eat. Immediately pop a tomato in your mouth.

Eunice – this looks delicious! I have been subscribed to your blog for quite a while (thanks to a friend who told me about it) but didn’t realize it was yours until just now. Great to see Accidental Southerner updates in my email again – and even better knowing they are from a neighbor just down the street!